Stand Your Ground
by CSILUVR
Summary: Sonny Sassone is back and its up to Mac and the rest of his team to catch him. They begin to close in on the killer when Mac is kidnapped. Can they save him and solve the case before it's too late? Now complete!
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Stand Your Ground**

**Author's Note: This is my first fan fiction piece of writing, so please take it easy on me! Suggestions and comments are always welcome! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or CSI:NY.**

**CSI: New York**

**Stand Your Ground**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 1**

"BEEP BEEP BEEP" Mac groaned. It was 5:22 a.m.. His cell phone was ringing. "Another case, this early in the morning?" Mac wondered. He had left the lab after

working two shifts a little under 3 hours ago. He wanted to keep working, but Stella had forced him to go home and sleep, and he knew better than to argue with her. He

hadn't realized how tired he actually was until he was in the elevator on his way to his apartment. He had almost fallen asleep listening to the peaceful elevator music. He

picked up his phone. It was Flack.

"Taylor" He said.

"Hey Mac, its Flack, we have a homicide at an abandoned warehouse."

"Did you already call Stella?" Mac replied, "You know she's on shift right now."

"Yeah, I did, but I think we need more hands. It's a messy scene." Flack replied.

Mac sighed. "I'll be there in 20 minutes."

"Thanks Mac" Flack replied, appreciative that he would have experienced hands working on the case.

Mac showered and got dressed in under 10 minutes, he was used to being timed. The Marines had taught him to use his time wisely. He even had time to grab a bagel on his

way out the door.

Flack hadn't exaggerated. There was blood everywhere. That was the first thing Mac had noticed as he entered the abandoned warehouse where their DB had been found.

Stella was at his side.

Mac glanced around. Flack was questioning a homeless man who had stumbled upon the body while searching for a place to sleep for the night.

"And you're sure you didn't see anyone suspicious?"

"I told ya already! It was dark and I was looking for a place to sleep! I didn't see nothing!" The man replied.

"You're free to go, but stay close." Flack warned. "Real piece-a-work" Flack muttered. "You guys ready to start processing?" Flack questioned, relieved the CSI's had

finally showed up. He was tired of questioning every homeless person who surrounded the warehouse.

"Vic's name is Ashley Jameson. Twenty-two." Flack explained. "ID was found in her pocket. Parents are being informed as we speak." Mac nodded.

"Body or perimeter?" Mac asked his partner,

"I think I'll take the perimeter on this one." Stella replied. "Too much blood" Stella thought. She had seen many gruesome scenes over the past years, but every once in a

while, there would be one that would get to her. "How can a person do that to another human being?" She grimaced.

"Okay, but remember to photograph everything, who knows what's evidence with all this blood."

"This isn't my first crime scene, Mac."

"I know, Stella, I just want to catch this guy."

Mac bent down, examining the body. She was female, pretty, mid-twenties. No wedding ring. A pool of blood had formed under her head. Lacerations covered her face

along with several bruises around her wrists. "She must have been bound, and judging by the amount of blood spatter, tortured." Mac thought to himself. He began to snap

photos of her body position and different contusions and bruises that covered her body.

Meanwhile, Stella had begun to photograph the scene. A chair was laying on its side, blood still dripping lazily off the legs. A strand of rope was laying on the floor. She

picked it up and placed it in an evidence bag. She began to scan the floor, looking for anything out of place. She bent down, examining a pipe, covered in blood. "Mac," she

called, "check this out!"

Mac walked over and knelt beside her. "This might be the weapon that was used on her head." Mac replied. "We'll know for sure what the cause of death is when Sid opens her up."

They went back to their processing. Three hours later, they left, satisfied that they had found all the evidence left at the scene. They watched as the coroner brought out the

body, then began to load their evidence into the SUV.

"Back to the Lab" Mac thought.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! More chapters will be up soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: I apoligize for my short chapters, and in the future will try to lengthen them.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Mac and Stella, along with the help of Danny, brought all the evidence into the lab. "Stella, you start processing the evidence. Danny, can you help out?"

"You got it Mac." Danny yawned lazily. Nodding appreciatively, Mac walked out of the room towards the elevator. "He looks like he's slept even less than I have." Mac

frowned. "DING" The noise snapped through his thoughts. He was at his floor. Mac walked down the hall towards AUTOPSY, thinking about what the evidence was

saying to him: She had been bound, tortured, murdered. All the signs of a kidnapping gone wrong.

"Do we have an official cause of death?" Mac immediately asked, slipping into a pair of gloves.

"There were many external injuries that would have been very painful, but none too life threatening. I did find cranial swelling, though. It appears she was hit very hard in the

back of the head, leading to a epidural hematoma, her official cause of death." Sid replied.

"By any chance were you able to get an imprint from the weapon of choice?" Mac asked.

Yes, I did, it appears to be crescent shape--"

"Could a pipe have done this damage?" Mac asked.

"With enough force…yes I suppose it could. Sid replied, "Why did you find one at the scene?"

"Yeah," Mac said, "and it was covered what appeared to be the vic's blood."

"Well there you go!" Sid exclaimed. "You've got means, now all you have to do is find motive and opportunity!"

"What can you tell me about the bruises on her wrists?" Mac inquired.

"She was bound, for what appears to be at least 4 days. As you can see," Sid pointed out, "The first contusions had already begun to fade when she died."

"Thanks Sid" Mac replied. He left the AUTOPSY room and decided to go to the lab to see what Stella was working on.

"Hey, Stella, have you finished processing the pipe?" Mac questioned.

"I've got Danny running the prints through AFIS, they were around the base of the pipe. We should have our results back in a couple of hours." Stella answered. "I also

finished processing the rope that we had found at the scene. Skin cells from multiple donors were found on the rope along with our vic's ."

"Good work Stella."

"Danny was the one who actually found the prints." Stella replied, not wanting to accept all the credit.

"I'll let him know too."

Mac put on a lab coat, and began processing the evidence alongside Stella. He lifted up the chair they had found at the scene and began to photograph it. He swabbed the

blood that was on the chair, then fingerprinted it.

Stella broke the silence. "Mac, I thought you were going home to sleep."

"I was, but then Flack called and said he need an extra set of hands to process the scene." Mac replied.

Stella persisted, "You could have called Danny to do it!"

"Have you seen him? He looks worse than I do!" Mac retorted.

At that moment Danny walked into the room, overhearing their conversation. "I don't mind working overtime, Mac, really its no big deal. I have tomorrow off so I can sleep

then."

"Ok, lets finish processing this evidence. Then, a mandatory coffee break." Mac ordered, in his most intimidating supervisor voice, trying not to break a smile. Stella laughed,

"Yes sir!"

"Whatever you say boss." Danny grinned.

On their way to the break room, they began to discuss what direction the case was taking them.

"There were multiple donors on the rope, suggesting more than one person was involved." Stella stated, reasoning out loud.

"Do we have ID's on any of our perps?" Mac questioned.

"Not yet, we sent the skin samples to CODIS earlier, so our results should be in soon." Stella answered.

"Mac," Danny began to speak, "Can we possibly be looking at a gang?" Danny's past with the Tanglewood Boys flashed through all of their minds. They definitely didn't

want to go down that path again.

"It's a possibility," Mac replied. "But we should keep an open mind until our evidence backs up our theories."

They had entered the break room by now, Stella already was sitting at the table. Danny and Mac poured their coffee and sat down, as well. They continued to discuss the

case until they heard a sharp knock on the door. Looking up, Mac waved in the lab tech.

"Your results on the fingerprints from the pipe are in." The lab tech nervously stated, handing a manila folder to Danny. Mac dismissed the lab tech, thanking him for letting

them know.

"Let's find out who our perp is! Danny exclaimed, quickly opening the folder and scanning its contents."

Danny stood up, a look of sheer surprise and anger flashed across his face.

"Mac, you're not gonna believe this!" Danny tried to keep his voice in check.

"Results on the prints from the pipe belong to Sonny Sassone."

**

* * *

**


	3. Chapter 3

**Comments are always welcome! Enjoy! **

* * *

**Chapter 3**

_"Mac, You're not gonna believe this...Results on the prints from the pipe belong to Sonny Sassone."_

"I thought he was in prison!" Stella exclaimed, looking as if she had just been hit by a two-ton truck.

"He was." Mac quietly stated, "It says here he was released on bail two weeks ago for good behavior." Mac's hands were clenched, anger surging through his body.

A case that He and Stella had worked on a couple years back had involved Sonny. That was when they discovered the Tanglewood Boys. When Sonny was being

interrogated, he told the CSI's that the Tanglewood Boys are the next generation, the new mafia. Then Sonny said something that had stopped Mac and Stella cold: he told

them to ask Danny Messer what the chances are of him going away--he claims Danny knows all about the Tanglewood Boys, and that they know about him. Danny had

grown up in Tanglewoood territory, and hung out with them as a kid. His brother, Louie, was also associated with the Tanglewood Boys. Danny managed to get out of that

neighborhood, joining the Police academy and was trying to make something of himself when Mac had chosen Danny to be a part of his team, although everyone else told

him he was making a huge mistake. Beneath Danny's rough exterior, was a good cop, and a great CSI.

Sonny was right though, he beat the murder rap just like he told Mac he would.

Two years later, they ran into him again, and this time, they were able to charge him and lock him up.

"How we gonna do this Mac?" Danny questioned trying to remain calm. The Tanglewood case had hit him just as hard as it had hit Mac, maybe more. It had threatened his

career and all that he had worked for to become a CSI.

"Well," Mac replied thoughtfully, considering all possible options. "We don't have enough to arrest him, so let's just see where the evidence leads us." Mac hated the words

that were coming out, but he knew it was something that had to be said, for everyone's sake.

"But Mac!" Danny exclaimed, no longer calm. "He could be halfway across the country by now! He could have already killed another person!"

"It's a chance we have to take, Danny." Mac sighed. "We just don't have enough evidence."

Danny stormed out of the room, nearly knocking over Lindsay.

"Danny, what's wrong?" Lindsay looked at him, with worry-filled eyes.

"It's nothing, Montana." He replied, harshly, and began to walk away. He need to be alone, to think. He walked into the locker room and slammed his hand against a locker.

He slouched against the wall, remembering the Tanglewood case. He had thought he would never have to think about Sonny or the Tanglewood Boys again. They were the

ones who had taken his brother's life. He was angry, but realized Mac was right. "We've got to nail this guy," Danny vowed, "or someone else is going to die."

Lindsay opened the door to the lab and quietly stepped inside. Mac and Stella were sitting at the table with coffee in their hands, murmuring softly. "What's up with Danny?"

Lindsay asked.

"Sonny Sassone is back." Mac replied, looking grim.

Lindsay gasped. "I thought he was in prison!" Mac repeated to Lindsay what he had told Danny earlier. Lindsay simply nodded.

"Lindsay, do you think you can talk to Danny, convince him to go home and get some sleep?" Stella asked.

"Sure, Stella, although I'm not sure he'll listen. He was pretty tense when I last saw him."

"Just please try." Lindsay nodded and left to search for Danny. She found him inside the locker room, sitting with his back against a locker.

"Danny, do you want to talk about it?" Lindsay quietly asked.

"No, if you don't mind. I got it under control. I'm sorry, by the way, for ignoring you earlier."

"It's no big deal." Lindsay replied. "Stella said that there's not much more you can do tonight, so you might as well go home and get some sleep."

"You going home, too?"

"No, I'm working on a case with Hawkes." Danny nodded. "Thanks, Montana."

"Anytime." She replied.

Danny opened his locker and grabbed his jacket. Lindsay sat there, watching him. They both walked out of the break room, Danny heading home, Lindsay back to the lab.

Mac and Stella were still sitting in the break room, talking. "Mac," Stella said, "There's not much more we can do tonight. Why don't you go back to your apartment and try

to get some sleep too?"

"Okay, Stella," Mac reluctantly replied. "But if we get any leads, call me right away." Mac threw away his empty coffee cup and started out the door.

"Night, Mac." Stella called.

"Night, Stella."

Mac returned to his office, grabbing some paperwork to do in case he couldn't sleep. Usually, when he had a difficult case he would just sleep at his office, but he decided to

listen to Stella's advice. Glancing around, Mac made sure nothing else needed to be done. He turned off the lights and closed the glass door behind him. He walked past the

secretary desk, nodding his goodnights. Mac sighed. He knew this case was about to get difficult. If only he knew just how much.

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey! I am soooo sorry I didnt notice that i put up the wrong chapter!!!! so here is the real chapter 4. Enjoy! **

**Chapter 4**

Mac exited the elevator on the main floor and walked to the doors that lead outside. Mac stepped out of CSI Headquarters and began his descent to the dimly lit street

below. Looking around, he noticed that no one was around. No cars drove by, and no one walked along the sidewalks. "It must be later than I thought.' Mac thought to

himself. Flipping open his phone, he glanced at the clock. 4: 19 a.m.. It was late. He must have been working on the case longer than he thought. No wonder no body was

out and about. Even the bars filled with drunks were probably empty by now. Stepping onto the sidewalk, Mac decided he would walk home. It was slightly chilly out, but

Mac had a jacket on, and he really needed some fresh air. He only lived two blocks away, after all.

Mac's mind wandered back to the case. He had saw the desperate look on Danny's face when he had told him that they didn't have enough evidence. He needed to

catch this guy. He owed it to Danny, to Louie, Danny's brother. An icy gust of wind brought him back to the present. He now regretted his decision to walk home, but he

was already half way. Shivering, Mac wrapped his jacket tighter around him. Quickening his pace, Mac slipped his hands into his pockets, trying to keep them warm.

Mac quickly walked past a dark alley, feeling uneasy. Feeling like someone was watching him, Mac glanced around. All of a sudden, BAM! Something hard smashed

against the back of his head. Mac quietly crumbled onto the sidewalk, clutching his head. He looked up, dazed, only to see a dark figure swinging a pipe at him again. Mac

rolled over, just barely missing another blow, this time aimed at his chest. His instincts began to kick in. He kicked out, trying to knock his attacker off his feet. The dark

figure saw it coming, though, and easily stepped aside. Tackling Mac, he grabbed his arm, yanking it roughly up against his back. POP! His shoulder felt like daggers had

sliced throught it. Mac cried out in pain. Mac brought his good arm up, elbowing the man in the face. The figure fell back, clutching his jaw. Mac quickly got up, favoring his

injured arm. The man also got up. Running at Mac, pipe raised menacingly above his head, the figure let out a cry of anger and pain. Mac lashed out, striking the man just as

he was about to swing the pipe. The man stumbled, but did not fall. The pipe rolled out of his hand. The figure punched him in the face. Blood flowed freely from Mac's

nose, but he hardly noticed. Grabbing the pipe off the ground, the man yelled again, fury evident in his voice. The pipe struck Mac in the back, causing him to fall down onto

his knees. Pain flared through his body. Looking up at the man, Mac recognized immediately who his attacker was.

The dark figure quickly grabbed a cloth from his coat pocket and roughly covered Mac's mouth with it. Mac kept fighting, trying with all his strength to get up, but his

marine training was no match to chloroform. Mac's body went limp, slowly slipping into a state of unconsciousness. "Sweet dreams, Detective Taylor." Sonny Sassone

muttered, wiping blood from his nose. He grabbed a roll of duck tape from his other pocket and wrapped it around Mac's hands and feet and covered his mouth. He

dragged Mac's unconscious body into the alley, where a black car was waiting. Grunting, he managed to lift Mac and shoved him roughly into the trunk of the car. Sonny

closed the trunk, making sure it was locked. Jumping into the driver's seat, Sonny put the keys in the ignition and started the car, making sure his headlights were still off.

Sonny smiled to himself. He was pleased with how well his plan was working out. "This is going to be fun." Sonny thought as he pulled out of the alley.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey! so here's the fifth chapter of Stand Your Ground . Enjoy and please review!**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

_ "This is Mac Taylor's cell phone. I'm not here right now so please leave me a message with your name and number after the beep."_ Stella was in the break room,

pacing. She sighed. She had tried calling Mac six times in the past hour and a half. His shift had started over two hours ago and he still wasn't here. He hadn't answered his

home phone or his cell phone. "I've never known Mac to miss a day of work in his entire life." Stella thought, worry filled her eyes. It was true. Mac had never missed work,

not even when Claire died.

The door opened. "Mac?" Stella looked up, a glimmer of hope in her voice.

"No, it's just Danny." He smiled apologetically. Danny's shift had started at the same time as Mac's.

"He still not here yet? Something must be keepin' him at home." Danny reasoned. "Did you try calling his cell phone?"

"Six times." She couldn't hide the fear in her voice any longer. "I'm worried, Danny."

Danny's tough guy act softened. "How 'bout we go and check to see if he's still at his apartment? It's been a quiet shift so far, so we don't have to worry about being called

away on a case. Will that make you feel better?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Danny." Stella nodded in gratitude.

"As long as I'm driving of course." A smile crept onto Stella's face.

They made it to Mac's apartment in under fifteen minutes. "Pretty good timing for New York City," Thought Danny. Mac apartment was only two blocks away from the lab,

but the main street to get there was one of the busiest in the city.

Danny parked the SUV in front of Mac's apartment complex, then quickly proceeded to follow Stella inside. She had already gotten out and had quickly half-walked, half-

jogged to the doors. Inside the lobby, Danny began to glance around, searching for a elevator.

"Over here, Danny." Stella called. She had already pushed the elevator button.

"How did you find it so fast?" Danny questioned, a silly grin crossed his face. "You've been here before!"

"Yes, but only because my apartment was a crime scene. It was the night after Frankie had attacked me." Stella quickly replied, ending the conversation. They rode the

elevator the rest of the way up in silence. The only noise coming from the calm elevator music. They exited the elevator and quickly walked up to Mac's apartment door,

room 204.

Stella sharply knocked on the door, no one answered.

"Mac! Open up! It's Danny and Stella." Danny yelled. Still no reply.

"Something's wrong." Stella whispered. Danny nodded in agreement. Stepping back, Danny raised his leg and kicked in the door. Stella quietly took out her gun, stepping

slowly into the apartment. Danny followed close behind, his weapon drawn as well. They quickly scanned each room, looking for any disturbances. They found none. No

one had been home for what appeared to be two days.

"He never made it home" Stella murmured, her voice shaking.

"We'll find him, Stella," Danny vowed, "I promise." Stella nodded. "Where are you, Mac?"

* * *

Mind-numbing pain in his shoulder. That was the first thing Mac noticed. The second thing he noticed was that he was handcuffed to a wall, in what appeared to be an

abandoned warehouse. "Just like the one where our vic was found." Mac grimly thought. Dust covered the floor and empty crates were stacked along the walls.

A door opened. "Ah! Detective Taylor! You're finally awake!" Sonny Sassone cheerily yelled from across the warehouse. "Finally, we can get to business." Sonny smirked

and knelt down beside him. Mac just sat there, showing no fear.

"What do you want from me?" Mac angrily asked.

"Oh, you know what I want Detective Taylor." Sonny had an eerie calmness in his voice. "Revenge."

And with that Sonny pulled out another pipe, probably the same pipe he used on him earlier, and began to strike him repeatedly.

Blow after blow, Mac refused to cry out, to let this man know the pain he was causing. Mac curled up, trying to shield his body from the onslaught of attacks. The blows

kept coming as Mac's vision became hazy and eventually faded to black.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Here's chapter 6! This one was hard to right so please, review nicely. R&R please!**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Stella and Danny hurriedly left Mac's empty apartment and raced back to the lab. While on the way, Stella had called Flack, but he hadn't answered. Stella left a 

message.

"Flack, it's Stella, We just left Mac's and he's not there. He never even made it home. Something's wrong. We're on our way back to the lab now, so can you get the 

team together and meet us there? Thanks." Stella hung up the phone.

Danny parked the SUV in front of the skyscraper that the lab was in. They both jogged to the front entrance. Danny held the door open for Stella, being the gentleman he 

was, and followed behind. Inside, they quickly walked towards the elevator, only to be stopped by one of the secretaries, holding an envelope in her hands.

"Are you Stella Bonsera?" She asked. Stella just nodded, already impatient by being delayed.

"A man walked in less than twenty minutes ago and asked for you. I told him you weren't here, he said it was fine and then he told me to just give you this. He said it 

regarded a colleague that is very important to you." She handed the envelope to Stella. Stella frowned, suspicion flashed across her eyes, but then nodded and continued 

walking to the elevator. Danny was right behind her. Inside the elevator, Danny wondered if the envelope regarded Mac.

"We'll find out as soon as I process it." Danny just nodded. They walked into the lab. The whole team was already there. Flack, Lindsey, Hawkes, Adam, even Sid had 

shown up. Stella sighed and leaned against a desk, quietly explaining her suspicions about where Mac was, and the envelope she had just received. 

Stella slipped on a pair of gloves and fingerprinted the outside of the envelope. The only prints she found were the secretary's and her own. Whoever delivered this letter 

had worn gloves. Carefully, she cut open the envelope, trying to preserve what little evidence there might be. Inside, she found a disk. Stella printed this also. Still, no prints. 

Picking up the disk, Stella walked over to one of the lab's many computers and put it in the CD drive. The team huddled around the computer. A screen popped up, with 

only the word "PLAY" on it. Stella clicked it.

Instantly a video popped up. It was grainy but she could make out who it was. She gasped. There sat Mac, cuffed to a wall. He had bruises and cuts on his face. It 

appeared he was conscious though. "That's good." Stella thought. A man was kneeling next to him, and appeared to be talking. She couldn't be sure, though, there was no 

sound. The man suddenly pulled out a pipe and began to beat Mac with it. The screen went dark. Stella cried out. "This can't be happening." She thought. She felt a hand on 

her shoulder. Flack looked at her and gave her a reassuring smile. Danny was hugging Lindsey, trying to comfort her. Hawkes and Sid had angry expressions on their faces. 

Glancing at her team, her friends, she realized she was being selfish. They were just as concerned about Mac as her. If they could remain calm, so could she. She began to 

give out orders.

"Danny, can you go talk to the secretary? Try to get a description of the man who delivered this envelope." Danny nodded.

"Lindsey and Hawkes, you guys work on Mac's case. We know Sonny Sassone was involved in that kidnapping, so there's a good possibility he's involved in Mac's 

too."

"Adam, I need you to check the security cameras on the main floor."

"Flack, try to track down a Tanglewood Boy. See if they know where Sonny is."

They all got up, each going their separate ways. Stella got up, reassuring herself that Mac was going to be okay.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! reviews are always welcome!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey! I hope ya'll had a wonderful Easter!! so here's the next chapter...enjoy! R&R's please!**

**Chapter 7**

A sharp nudge in the ribs jolted Mac back to the world of consciousness. "Detective Taylor, you can't leave us so soon. We have some matters to be discussed."

Mac lifted his eyes to the man who was speaking to him. "Like what?" Mac spat out, glaring at Sonny with icy daggers in his eyes.

"How much do your people know about the Ashley Jameson case?"

Mac remained silent, focusing on a small crack on the floor. Sonny roughly grabbed Mac and twisted his arm backwards. Mac felt tears coming to his eyes, but he

still did not speak. Sonny yelled and twisted his arm even further. A resounding CRACK echoed off the walls. Mac cried out in agony, his arm mangled, hanging

loosely against the wall. He couldn't hold it in any longer.

Mac quietly began to speak, pain evident in his voice. He was ashamed at how easily he had talked. "We know that Ashley Jameson was kidnapped by you. We

have your prints on the murder weapon. My team knows all about you."

"Thank you, Detective Taylor." Sonny started to walk away, then as an afterthought, turned around and began to speak, "I really hope your CSI's are as good as

you say they are. Because if they aren't, your death will be on their heads."

"And what did the guy look like?" Danny was questioning the secretary who had given the package to Stella.

"Well, he had a grey sweatshirt on. Oh, he also had on a black hat."

"What did his face look like? How tall was he? We need details." Danny impatiently waited for her answer.

"Um, he was white. About your height, I think. He also had a small scar on his left cheek. That's all I remember."

Danny thanked her and hurried back to the lab. Rounding the corner, he ran into Adam.

"You find anything?" Danny asked. Adam nodded as they both continued to walk towards the lab. "I got a clear shot of our perp. I was just going to go run it

through the system, see if anything pops up." "Finally," thought Danny, "we're getting somewhere."

Hawkes and Lindsey rounded the corner, coming from the opposite direction. They had finished processing and had both reached the same conclusion: Sonny

Sassone had kidnapped and killed Ashley Jameson. BEEP, BEEP. Everyone's pagers were going off. "Flack's got a Tanglewood boy in interrogation room 1." Lindsay

read from her pager.

The team gathered behind the one-way window looking into the interrogation room. Adam and Danny looked shocked at who the perp was. "That's the guy who

brought the package!" They both exclaimed in unison. Stella quickly walked out of the adjoining room and knocked on the door to the interrogation room. Flack got

up from his seat and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

"What's up, Stella?" He asked.

"Your suspect is our perp who delivered the package this morning." Flack looked up in surprise. "Really?" Stella nodded.

"Well that changes everything."

Flack walked back inside. "So, Jacob, we've figured out that you delivered a package to our lab this morning. You know that package contained information on a

missing detective? You know how many years you'll be in prison?"

"I just delivered a package for a friend. That ain't illegal." Jacob muttered.

"That's aiding and abetting." Flack replied, anger building up inside of him.

"Now, where is Detective Taylor?" Flack's voice got louder, barely passing as talking.

"I told ya, man, all's he told me was to deliver that package then to call him for further instructions." Jacob was getting nervous, "Could I really go to prison?" he

thought.

"And did you make the call?" Flack's voice was quiet again.

"Naw man, you guys picked me up 'fore I could."

"Listen to me, Jacob, if you can call "your friend" and let us trace the call, we'll drop all the charges. You'll get away scotch-free."

Jacob thought this over. He really didn't want to go to prison. He nodded. "Alright, I'll do it." Adam came into the room, with a device to listen in and track the call.

Jacob got out his cell phone and began to dial.

**Thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey! Well I'm on spring break now...so I should be writing and posting more frequently...Yah! lol...So here's the next chapter! R&R's please!**

**Chapter 8**

"What took you so long?" Sonny hissed into the phone. He was sitting inside an empty office that connected to the abandoned warehouse where Mac was being

held.

"Sorry Boss, I got delayed. But it's done. I delivered the package and am waiting for your next command." Jacob stammered into the phone. Adam and Flack were

sitting silently next to him, recording the conversation.

"Very good, Jacob. You're next destination will be texted to you in two minutes. The warehouse location will also be sent." Sonny hung up the phone. Jacob

sighed in relief. The call had gone well. He had even been able to insert the code word into what he was saying. Plus, he wasn't going to be arrested.

"We've got a location: 28721 Cosworth Avenue, New York." Adam exclaimed, his voice happy. Flack jumped up, "Go grab your Kevlar vests and I'll grab SWAT,

we're gonna go get Mac."

Sonny was angry. No, he was furious. Jacob had messed up his one job. How hard could it be to deliver a package without getting caught? At least he had r

emembered the code word in case he got caught. Delayed meant the cops had him. They probably were recording the phone call also.

He walked into the warehouse where his hostage was being held. Mac was leaning against the wall, his eyes closed. Sonny decided to take his anger out on him.

Sonny roughly grabbed Mac, who woke, startled. Sonny slammed Mac's head against the rough pavement. Mac never saw it coming. He groaned, clutching his head.

Blood was pouring freely from a wide gash on his forehead. Sonny began to kick Mac, again and again. Mac tried to protect himself, but his restraints kept him still.

Sonny's kicks got harder, angrier. He felt something give way in his chest, then excruciating pain. Mac tried to breathe, but found he couldn't. He began to panic,

gasping for air that wasn't there. His vision began to blur at the edges. He thought he was going to die.

Sonny looked down at Mac. He was wheezing for air. Sonny smiled. "Small breaths, Detective Taylor." Mac tried to slow his rapid gasping, and found it was easier

to breathe that way. "Now, Detective Taylor, this is what happens when your team does not play by the rules. It seems like they have captured my delivery boy, and

managed to get the location of this warehouse."

Even though he was in pain, Mac managed to crack a smile. He knew his team would find him. Sonny continued to speak. "Since they figured out our location, I

figured why not give them a surprise when they get here." Sonny whipped out a suitcase he had kept hidden behind him. Placing it on the floor, he opened it,

revealing a case of C4, ready to be detonated.

"I figured, a large explosion at an abandoned warehouse, which just happens to be the one where you were being held hostage. Wouldn't that be a lovely

surprise?" Sonny chuckled by the look of shock on Mac's face.

"Pack up boys!" Sonny called out to his men. "You know, you're team really is as good as you said they were, it's too bad they found you so fast, I was hoping we

could have a little more fun." Sonny placed the bomb on a nearby chair and began to press some buttons. He lead a wire to the door. "If anyone from your team

tries to open this door, the bomb will detonate immediately, if they don't, it blows up in five minutes. Sonny and his men loaded all of their equipment into two

nearby vans. Sonny walked out the door, shutting off the lights and making sure the trigger wire was set.

"Goodbye, Detective Taylor." The timer began to count down.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Reviews are always welcome!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey! So here's another chapter! I hope to post the next one by Saturday...so I won't leave ya hanging long! R&R's please!**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

As soon as Mac was sure Sonny had left, he began to struggle against his bindings. If he could get the wire off the door, he could save his team. Mac kicked out,

desperately trying to knock the wire down. His shoulder was throbbing, his other arm completely useless. Mac yanked on his cuffs as hard as he could, only causing

more pain. He didn't know what to do. The last time he had been in this situation was with the explosion and Flack. He didn't know how he would go on with out his

team. Stella, his best friend, Danny, he was like a son to him, Lindsay, Hawkes, Flack, they were his team, and he wasn't going to let them down. Sonny had said

that if someone opened the door the bomb would go off instantly. If he made the bomb go off now, his team would be safe. Him, on the other hand…. Well he

couldn't think of that now.

He stretched leg as far as he could, trying to knock the chair over that held the bomb. He was inches away. With a yell, Mac lunged forward as hard as he could.

His foot grazed the chair. It wobbled, and slowly fell forward. The bomb slid off and began to fall through the air. Mac closed his eyes, expecting an explosion, death,

something. All he heard was something clattering against the cement. He opened his eyes. The bomb was laying next to his leg, still ticking. He looked over at the

door. The trip wire had fallen to the ground! Mac sighed with relief. He pulled the bomb closer to him, using his leg to guide it towards his chest. Two minutes and

fifteen seconds remained. Mac's breath caught in his chest, whether it was from fear, or the fact that half his ribs were either broken or fractured, he did not know.

He needed to think of a plan. He had found a way to save his team, now if only he could find a way to save himself. His thoughts drifted back to the marines.

"Com' on Taylor! Don't give up now!" He could do this. Looking down, he began to examine the bomb. It appeared to be a low grade explosive. "Well that's good."

He thought. The bomb would explode in approximately a twenty foot radius. If he could just kick it far enough, maybe he could survive the explosion. _Twelve _

_seconds __left_. Mac closed his eyes and began to think of his life. _Ten seconds. _It's funny, when you're at the end, you begin to think of the beginning. _Eight seconds. _

Meeting Stella, Danny, Lindsay, Hawkes, Flack, Sid….Then there was Claire, oh how he missed her! He smiled to himself, remembering their life together. _Five _

_seconds. _He made up his mind.

Mac pushed the bomb in front of his legs, then kicked out with all his strength. _Two __seconds. _It slid, five feet, ten feet…_One second. _Twenty feet….the timer hit zero. The bomb exploded with a resounding BOOM!

* * *

**I couldn't resist! lol...I love cliffhangers! Thanks for reading...Reviews are always welcome! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey everyone!! Don't worry! I will finish this story! Do not be afraid! lol so here's chapter 10...enjoy!**

**Chapter 10**

Flack and Stella raced through New York City, sirens blaring. Danny and Linsdsay were three cars behind them, along with SWAT and an ambulance. Stella sat in

the passenger's seat, her head turned away from Flack. She was trying to be strong. "We know where he is," She thought to herself, "So why am I so worried?"

They were only a block away. The warehouse came into view. Flack hit the breaks, causing the car to slide against the broken glass and pebbles along the littered

street. Stella jumped out, quickly slamming the door behind her. Flack was right behind her. SWAT and Lindsay parked a couple yards behind them and started to

exit their vehicles as well. Stella and Flack began to run towards the building. "We're here, Mac!" Stella cried out in her head. They were closing in on the building

when it exploded. The force of the bomb threw her and Flack onto the ground. Rubble and dust poured down around them. Stella slowly sat up, the world in a haze.

Everything felt like it was in slow-motion. What happened? Mac, Warehouse, explosion…..no….this can't be happening… Stella looked up. Flack was kneeling beside

her, talking about something, but she couldn't focus on what he was saying. "….Are you…..you're bleeding….Stella….Look at me!" Stella looked up at him. "He's a

fighter, Stell. We can't give up on him now." Stella nodded as Flack helped her up. Danny and Lindsay ran up behind him. "Stella, your head's bleeding." Lindsay

looked at her colleague, concern in her eyes. Stella self-consciously felt her head. She pulled her hand away, only to find it covered in blood. "I'm fine." She stated.

"What's the plan?" Stella looked at Flack.

"You're going to stay here with Lindsay. You're injured. Danny and I are going to go in with SWAT and search for Mac." Flack stated. Stella looked like she was about

to argue, but then nodded. "Come'on Stella, there's not much we can do now. Let's get your head checked out." Lindsay led her towards the paramedics. Danny and

Flack started to walk cautiously towards the rubble. The main structure of the building was still intact. They walked towards a window that had been blown out.

Danny looked inside, searching for any sign of life. "I can't see anything from here." He stated. Danny pulled himself up through the window, cutting himself on the

sharp glass still left in the window. "Danny! What are you doing?" Flack yelled at him, "You don't have any protective gear on, and we don't even know if the

building's stable!" Danny yelled angrily back at him. "Mac's in there, possibly dying or dead already, and all you care about is whether or not it's safe to go inside?"

Danny dropped down inside of the building, leaving Flack on the other side. "Mac! You in here? Say something Mac!" Danny began to walk around, cautiously

watching his steps. Flack was following suit, climbing through the window as well, but more carefully than he had. Danny kept looking….there! He saw an arm poking

out from under a pile of rubble. He started to jog towards Mac. "Danny! Look out!" Flack cried out. Danny looked up, just as a beam from the ceiling came crashing

down on top of him. Danny's world became dark.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! R&R's please!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey everyone! I'm so sorry it has taken me longer to update!! I got sick and then I had to catch up on a lot of homework and I had a dentist's appointment...yeah so I'm sure you're already sick of my excuses so I'll just get on with the story. Hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 11**

"Danny!" Flack ran towards where his friend had been standing. A cloud of dust blocked his vision of Danny. "Danny! Talk to me!" Danny's leg was under the

beam, but the rest of his body looked like the beam hadn't touched it. Flack heard a groan, followed by coughing. "Danny, can you move?" Flack asked, concerned.

Danny tried to get up, but then grimaced. "My leg's stuck. Man, I think it's broken." Flack frowned. "The beam doesn't look too heavy. Maybe I can lift it off of you…"

Flack gripped the beam, then tried to lift it. The beam slid off of Danny. He was free. Flack knelt down beside Danny. Angrily he said, "I swear, if you pull another

stunt like that, I'll kill ya." Danny just grinned up at him. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Go get Mac."

Flack got up, and carefully worked his way over to Mac, who was covered in rubble. He glanced back at Danny, who was already being tended to by a paramedic.

Two more paramedics were making their way towards him, carrying a stretcher. Flack knelt down, looking at Mac's beaten and broken body. Carefully, he placed his

fingers against Mac's neck, feeling for a pulse. He held his breath. There was none. Flack quickly began CPR, trying desperately to save Mac. The paramedics knelt

beside him. "Com'on man, let us do our jobs." One of the medics gently pulled him away, while the other continued with CPR. Flack stood back, shocked. They

couldn't lose him now. "He's got a pulse! He's back!" A medic cried out. Mac hadn't been breathing for almost two minutes. They quickly loaded him onto a stretcher,

and started to work there way back to the ambulance.

Flack followed behind them, leaving the destroyed warehouse behind. Danny was on a stretcher inside one of the ambulances, trying to tell them he was fine.

Lindsay and Stella ran up to Flack, wondering what had happened. "How's Mac?" Stella demanded, her face stained with tears and blood. Flack quietly told her what

had transpired inside the building. "When I got to him, he wasn't breathing. They did CPR, and he started breathing after about two minutes."

"What happened to Danny?" Lindsay questioned.

"He went in first, and when he tried to get to Mac, a beam came down from the ceiling on top of his leg." Flack replied guiltily, knowing he was supposed to be

looking out for him.

Lindsay nodded in understanding. "Just like Danny not to think before he does something." She thought to herself, a small grin pulling at her mouth. "I'm going to

ride in the ambulance with Danny, I'll catch up with you guys at the hospital." She quickly jogged towards the ambulance, sitting next to Danny.

Flack and Stella stood still as both ambulances pulled out of the parking lot. Flack pulled Stella into a hug, trying to comfort her. "He's a fighter, Stella." Stella just

nodded, still in shock.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Flack looked Stella in the eyes. "Why didn't you ride in the ambulance with Mac?"

Stella looked down at the ground. "I just couldn't see him like that…so broken, you know?" Flack just nodded. They got into his squad car, heading towards the

hospital with sirens blaring.

* * *

**There ya go! R&R's are always welcome!**


	12. Chapter 12

**So here's a new chapter! I feel this story has about 5 chapters to go, maybe more maybe less, so thank you to all my readers for sticking with me through this story. I'm not sure how to end it, so we'll see what happens. Reviews, as always, are always welcome!**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 12**

Stella and Flack were sitting in the cold hard chairs in the waiting room of the Emergency Room. They had arrived a little under a half hour ago, and they still

hadn't heard about Mac's condition. "He could be dead, for all we know." Stella grimly thought. Finally she couldn't take it any more. She got up, walked over to one

of the nearby nurses, and demanded to know what had happened to Mac. The nurse looked at her, nervously she told her that she didn't know, but would try to find

out. Stella nodded and sat back down, as if she had never gotten up. Fifteen minutes later, a doctor walked up to them, asking them if they were Detective Taylor's

family. "We're his colleagues. He doesn't have any nearby family." The doctor nodded. "I'm Doctor O'Malley." Stella and Flack introduced themselves.

"So..how is he?" Flack asked the question that they were both afraid of. "Detective Taylor is in surgery to repair his lung." Doctor O'Malley explained. "One of his

lungs was punctured by his broken ribs. His other injuries also include a dislocated shoulder and a severe concussion. There is some swelling of the brain, and that's

always tricky. He could wake up from it, or remain unconscious and in a vegative state for the rest of his life." Stella gasped, tears in her eyes. Flack wrapped his arm

around her. "I'm truly sorry, Detectives." The doctor left, leaving them to comfort each other.

Meanwhile, Lindsay was sitting in another waiting room, waiting for Danny to come out of surgery. The doctors had examined his leg and determined that surgery

would be needed to set it. Danny had complained, saying he was fine, but the doctors had won. That was over an hour ago. Lindsay sighed, then decided to go

check up on Mac. She walked down the halls of the hospital towards the ER waiting room, where she knew Flack and Stella would be anxiously waiting. Opening the

doors, she saw Stella sitting in one of the chairs, but Flack wasn't there.

"Where's Flack?" Lindsay asked, surprised at not seeing him next to Stella.

"Oh, he went to go get some coffee." Stella sighed. Lindsay could tell something was wrong.

"How is he?" Lindsay asked. She hoped her boss was okay.

"He's…" Stella's voice broke a bit. "He's not good, Linds." Stella broke down, silent tears flowing down from her puffy eyes. Lindsay quickly walked over and

hugged Stella, whispering encouraging words in her ear. Stella's breathing slowed and she regained her composure.

They sat there, in a comfortable silence. Flack came back a short while later. He was holding two coffee cups. Seeing Lindsay, he looked down at the coffee, then

handed a cup to her and Stella. "I can get one later." He thought to himself.

"So how's Danny? Has he flirted with any nurses yet?" Flack grinned, trying to make some conversation. Lindsay looked up at him, smiling as well. She explained

to him that he should be getting out of surgery any time now. Flack sat down on the other side of Stella, making small conversation. All they could do now was wait.

* * *

**Hope ya enjoyed it! You see that little button that says "Review" on it? Click it! lol**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey guys! So here's another chapter!! I hope you enjoy this one. Don't worry! Mac will be a lot more involved in the next chapters. Reviews are always nice! lol :)**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

Stella, Flack, and Lindsay stood quietly outside of Mac's hospital room, watching the steady rising and falling of his chest through a window. They weren't allowed

to go into his room, doctor's orders the nurse had stated. Mac had just come back from surgery, which, the doctors said, had gone incredibly well. Stella looked at

Mac. His face was pale, bruises around both eyes. Different tubes and wires were hooked up to him, helping him breath. But he was alive, and to Stella, that was all

that mattered.

Lindsay broke the silence. "I'm going to go check up on Danny, anyone want to come with?" Flack nodded, and they both left, leaving Stella to her own thoughts.

They walked down the hall towards Danny's room. They could hear him complaining to one of the nurses from down the hall. "How am I supposed to watch the

Yanks game without a TV?" He demanded, as they walked into his room. Flack smiled apologetically to the nurse as she left the room, then glared at Danny.

"What?" He demanded. Flack just shook his head, laughing to himself.

Danny hated hospitals. "The faster I get outa here, the better." Danny thought to himself. Sitting up, Danny asked Lindsay how Mac was doing. She explained he

had just gotten out of surgery, and was now in one of the hospital's private rooms.

"Well, let's go see him." Danny stated, trying to get out of the bed.

"Whoa there, cowboy!" Lindsay looked at him, surprise on her face. "You just got out of surgery too!"

"I'm fine!" Danny grinned, hopping on one foot, trying to keep his balance as he reached for his crutches. Lindsay argued with him, telling him to get back in the

bed, but it was no use. "Now," Danny stated, "First, I need some clothes." Looking through the drawers next to his gurney, he found the clothes he was wearing

when he had broken his leg. Danny changed, then they walked down the hall to Mac's room.

Stella was still watching Mac when they came in. Stella turned around to say something, but after seeing Danny, she was speechless. Danny just stood there, a

silly grin on his face. "Well, aren't ya gonna say hi?" Danny asked. Stella shook her head. "I…just wasn't expecting…what are you even doing out of bed?" Stella

exclaimed, hugging him. Danny was like a brother to Stella, and she was concerned about his well-being. Danny's grin grew even larger. "Ya really think a bum leg

would keep me down?" Stella smiled back, a tired smile, but still, she was smiling. Flack and Lindsay were grinning at him, too.

Danny's face grew sober as the laughing and grins died down. He hobbled over to the window, looking at how bad of shape his boss was really in. His forehead

had a long gash across it and a painful looking bruise covered the right side of his cheek. His eyes were bruised, swollen…and open. "Whoa!" Danny's face was filled

with surprise. "Guys! He's awake! He just opened his eyes!" It was true. Stella ran to the window, tears of joy streaming down her face. Mac's eyes were half-open,

groggily looking around the room. His eyes met Stella's, and she nodded at him, a smile covered her tear-stained face.

* * *

**R&R's are always welcome! lol thanks for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey everyone! Ok so I think there's only going to be like 3 more chapters or so until the end. Thank you to all the readers who have read this story since the beginning. I'm also trying a different format here, and I know this chapter looks extremely short, but it is actually longer than the previous chapters. R&R's please!**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 14**

It was late. Darkness poured through the windows of the quiet hospital, the night shift already on duty. Danny had been sent back to his own hospital room by a nurse who had been checking on Mac. Danny had argued, declaring he was fine and didn't need to rest, but Flack and Lindsay had finally convinced him to go back to his room. Danny was now asleep in his bed, his pain medication and lack of sleep the day before finally getting to him. Lindsay and Flack sat by his bedside, Lindsay sipping a coffee, Flack quietly chatting on his cell phone, updating Hawkes on Mac's and Danny's conditions.

In Mac's room, everything was quiet except for the continuous beeping of a hospital monitor and the soft humming of a respirator. Stella was sitting at Mac's bedside, clutching his hand as though she would never let go. One of the doctors had just finished examining Mac, confirming that there were no permanent effects of his coma. Mac had only been awake for about a minute before succumbing to the clutches of sleep, but to Stella, that minute was one she would remember for the rest of her life. Stella's mind began to drift back to past events where they had been there for each other. "_That's what we do; we take care of each other."_ Stella's eyes grew heavy, finally closing as she fell asleep. The night continued on as Stella slept, still holding Mac's hand.

Stella woke with a start, wondering how long she had been asleep and what had woken her up. Stella, remembering the night's events, forced her eyes open to check on Mac. A pair of green eyes stared right back up at her. Stella gasped, surprise filled her eyes. "Mac Taylor! Do you have to scare me like that?" Stella nervously laughed, all of a sudden feeling self-conscious. Mac looked like he wanted to say something, but Stella quickly explained that he still had a tube in his throat helping him breath, and it would be impossible to talk. Mac nodded., squeezing her hand to show he understood. Stella sat there, chatting about nothing, just appreciating the fact that Mac was alive, he was there.

Bright rays of sunshine poured in through a window in Danny's room, waking him up. Danny yawned, chuckling as he noticed that Lindsay and Flack were both curled up in chairs, sound asleep, next to his bed. Danny quietly grabbed the crutches next to his bed, trying not to wake them. One of the crutches slipped from his grip and crashed to the ground. Danny froze, quickly glancing to see if he had woken them. They were still asleep. Danny grinned and picked up his crutch. He was going to see Mac, and they weren't going to stop him. Danny snuck into the hall, slowly working his way towards Mac's room.

Finally, he stood outside of Mac's room. He was winded. "Wow, I must be getting out of shape." Danny thought to himself. Danny opened the door with one hand and tried to get his body through on one crutch. It didn't work. Danny lost his balance, and with a crash, fell onto the ground. Stella looked up, wondering who or what had crashed through the door, only to see Danny struggling to get up from the ground. Mac was looking towards the door as well, curiosity in his eyes. Stella quickly got up and walked over to Danny, scolding him while helping him up. Danny got resituated with his crutches and sat down in a chair by Mac's bed. Mac looked at his leg, a quizzical look in his eyes. Danny explained what had happened when he had tried to rescue him. Mac just nodded. "Where's Lindsay and Flack?" Stella asked Danny after he had finished explaining his story to Mac. "They're asleep back in my room." Danny replied. "Actually, Messer, we're not." Flack said as he and Lindsay walked into the room. Hawkes walked in right behind them. They sat down next to Mac, saying their hellos. Mac nodded at them, wordlessly thanking them for being there. The team was finally back together.

* * *

**In case you don't know, the quote from above is from Charge of This Post... **


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey guys! Sorry about not updating for a little while. I've been busy with homework and softball. So here's the next chapter. I know, it's really short, but I will have the next chapter up either tomorrow night or Saturday morning, so it's not that long of a wait. I'm planning on the next chapter being the last, but who knows? I still haven't written it, so it can still go a lot of ways. Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 15**

Okay, Detective Taylor, I'm going to need you to start coughing. It will make this a lot easier." Mac complied and coughed, choking slightly as the nurse pulled out the tube that had been helping him breath. It had been a little over a week since he had been admitted into the hospital. Mac wheezed, and, after catching his breath, slumped back into his hospital bed. He was already exhausted. After several silent minutes, Mac tried to speak, but found his mouth too dry. All that came out was a pathetic croak. Mac tried again.

"Waadrrr."

Stella understood what he was trying to say and handed him a small glass filled with water. Mac gratefully accepted it and drank it all in one sip. Mac began to speak again, this time his voice sounded normal. "

I'm sorry." Mac quietly said.

"Mac Taylor, what can u possibly be sorry for?" Stella exclaimed.

"For worrying you. I should have known that Sonny was up to something." Mac answered, his voice stronger now.

"Mac, u can't possibly be serious! There is no way you could have known that Sonny was going to--" Stella's voice faded. "I won't allow you to blame yourself for this. If anything, it's our fault we didn't find you fast enough."

Mac tried to think of an answer, but then let out a chuckle. "Is there any point even trying to argue with you, Stella?"

Stella shook her head no, grinning and laughing along with him. They sat side by side in a comfortable silence until Mac asked the question Stella was dreading to answer.

"Did you catch him?"

Stella knew perfectly well who Mac was talking about. Flack and Hawkes had sent out dozens of reports to the different departments of New York, but Sonny hadn't shown up.

"No, not yet. But we will don't worry." Stella offered a reassuring nod.

Mac nodded while Stella tried to stifle a yawn. Mac noticed it.

"Stella, go home and get some sleep. I'm fine. You don't have to stay." Mac sternly said.

Stella was going to argue, but after thinking about it, sleep sounded like a very good idea. Gathering her jacket and numerous empty coffee cups, Stella said goodnight to Mac and left for her apartment, where she planned to sleep for a very long time.

"Can we go now?" Danny whined to Lindsay from his wheelchair. One of the doctors had just cleared him to leave the hosptital, and Danny really just wanted to get away from the place. "Did you finish filling out the paperwork?" Lindsay asked, glancing up from the duffle bag she was packing Danny's belongings into. Danny nodded. Lindsay slung the bag over her shoulder. "Well then," She said, "let's get you out of here."

* * *

**Reviews are a writers best friend! Be kind, Review! lol**


	16. Chapter 16

**So here it is! I know I haven't posted a good, long chapter in a while, so here's one to make up for it. Yes, this is the last chapter...I'm sad lol. This is the first story I've ever written, and for a fifteen year old, I think it's pretty good. lol. So I hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 16**

Mac buttoned up his dress shirt, struggling with his arm still in a sling. He had been released from the hospital a week ago, and yesterday he had been officially cleared for work. Stella had pleaded with him to stay home for a couple more days, that the lab was fine, but Mac really just wanted to get back to work as soon as possible. He had cases to solve. Sure, field work was out of the question, but there's always lab work to be done.

Mac grabbed his coffee, wincing as he grabbed the mug. His ribs were still sore, but hey, that's why they prescribed the pain pills right? Mac thought to himself. The only problem was, Mac felt he didn't need them. It was a sign of weakness. And Mac Taylor was most certainly not weak. Mac took the elevator down and hailed a taxi. Mac got in the car, and told the driver where he was going: New York Crime Lab.

Walking through the glass doors leading to his office, Mac felt a rush of energy. Work was his outlet, and right now, that was all he wanted to do. Work. Sitting down in his office chair, Mac's energy rushed right out of him. His desk was covered in different folders and forms that needed to be filled out. "I guess almost dying isn't good enough here." Mac dryly thought to himself. Mac chuckled to himself, causing his ribs to start to throb again. Mac closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, trying to will the pain away. It didn't work. Sighing, he gingerly reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the pill bottle, popping two into his mouth.

A sharp knock caused Mac to jump, opening his eyes. Stella was standing in the open doorway, a look of concern on her face. "Mac, you alright?" She asked. Mac just nodded. Stella sat down in one of the chairs by his desk. "So, what have I missed?" He asked, a small grin at the corners of his mouth. "Well, besides a couple robberies and a hit-and-run, nothing. It's been pretty quiet since--" Stella's voice trailed off. "Speaking of," Mac said, "Has there been any evidence to Where Sonny could have gone?" "Nothing yet, but we still haven't finished processing all the evidence." Stella said while getting up. "Take it easy, Mac." She called over her shoulder as she headed back out into the halls of the Crime Lab.

Danny and Hawkes were driving through Manhattan, on their way to their next scene. A dead body was found, male, early thirties. That was all they knew so far. Danny pulled around the corner and found a parking spot about a half block away from their crime scene. Hawkes and Danny got out and started walking towards the crime scene tape, where Flack was waiting for them. "Guys, you're not going to believe who our DB is." Flack said. Danny and Hawkes looked behind Mac, looking to see who it was. Lying on the ground was a very dead looking Sonny Sassone.

"Wow," Danny muttered, "Hey, what goes around, comes around right?"

"Did you tell Mac yet?" Hawkes asked Flack, his eyes still on the body.

"Not yet. I was just about to when you guys pulled up." Flack replied.

"So what happened here?" Danny asked Flack.

"Straight up robbery gone bad. Suspect's in custody too. Looks like its open-shut case."

Danny and Hawkes knelt by the body, examining the stab wounds on Sonny's torso. A knife covered in blood lay a couple feet away, bloody fingerprints clearly visible on the handle. They gathered up the evidence and photographed the scene, then, after making sure they had been thorough, drove back to the crime lab.

Mac was still in his office when Flack, Danny, and Hawkes walked in. Looking up, Mac asked them why they were here. They looked at each other, not knowing who should talk first. Hawkes broke the silence. "Well, you know that DB we had in Manhattan?" Mac nodded slowly, not sure where this conversation was going.

Flack spoke up. "Guy was stabbed after a robbery went wrong. We have the perp in custody. He's on his way downtown."

Once again, Mac nodded. "So why does this exactly concern me?"

Danny broke in, "Mac, the DB is Sonny Sassone."

Mac's eyes widened, surprise evident on his face. "Are you sure?" He finally said. Danny nodded. His body's in autopsy if you want to…" Danny's voice trailed off. Mac nodded, then dismissed them.

Mac sighed in relief. Sonny wasn't going to be showing up any more. Closing his eyes, Mac leaned back in his chair, drifting into the first peaceful sleep he'd had since he had been kidnapped.

**So there it is. It's over. bummer! lol. I really hope you had fun reading my story, cause I had a lot of fun writing it! Thanks to all my reviewers! You guys rock! I hope to keep writing, but so far, I don't really have a plot picked out or anything, plus exams are coming up...so we'll just see what happens. Once again, thank you!!**


End file.
